- #1
rsnelsonjose
- 2
- 0
Hello everyone. My question is how can I use databases like scopus to know which areas of physics are the "hot" today or which are still in development.
Using Databases like Scopus to Find Trends in Physics
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Discussion Overview
The discussion centers around how to utilize databases like Scopus to identify current trends in physics, specifically focusing on which areas are considered "hot" or still developing. Participants explore the criteria for defining these terms and the implications of different metrics used to assess the importance of various fields.
Discussion Character
- Exploratory
- Debate/contested
- Conceptual clarification
Main Points Raised
- One participant asks how to determine which areas of physics are currently trending using databases like Scopus.
- Another participant challenges the definitions of "hot" and "still in development," suggesting that clarity on these terms is necessary for meaningful analysis.
- A participant emphasizes the need to define "most important" fields, noting that the answer can vary based on the metrics used, such as the number of researchers, publication counts, or funding levels.
- It is proposed that examining research highlighted by professional organizations, such as the American Physical Society, may provide insights into what physicists find exciting.
- One participant illustrates the complexity of determining trends by discussing how the perceived "hotness" of a field can change based on its subfields and the context in which they are analyzed.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants do not reach a consensus on the definitions of "hot" or "most important," and multiple competing views regarding the criteria for assessing trends in physics remain evident throughout the discussion.
Contextual Notes
The discussion highlights limitations related to the ambiguity of terms and the dependence on specific metrics for evaluating trends in physics. There is also an acknowledgment that different fields may be perceived as "hot" based on varying criteria.
- #2
mfb
Mentor
- 37,449
- 14,315
Define "hot" and "still in development". Or, asked differently, which area is not studied any more?
- #3
rsnelsonjose
- 2
- 0
No no I've been looking for the most important fields of physics in the last decade, but I want to be sure using databases. Thats why I said "hot"...meaning "trend in the present"
- #4
DrClaude
Mentor
- 8,478
- 5,698
Now define "most important" 
The point being that the answer you get will depend a lot on the exact question you ask. Is it the number of people working in the field? The number of articles in Phys. Rev. Lett.? How much money [big name university] is willing to put to recruit a leader in the field?
If you want to get an idea of what physicists themselves think is exciting, I suggest you look at the research highlighted at
https://physics.aps.org
The point being that the answer you get will depend a lot on the exact question you ask. Is it the number of people working in the field? The number of articles in Phys. Rev. Lett.? How much money [big name university] is willing to put to recruit a leader in the field?
If you want to get an idea of what physicists themselves think is exciting, I suggest you look at the research highlighted at
https://physics.aps.org
- #5
mfb
Mentor
- 37,449
- 14,315
If we go purely by number of people working on it then every field is hotter than each of its subfields.
"Nuclear and particle physics" might be hotter than laser physics, but laser physics could be hotter than both nuclear physics and particle physics. Until you split laser physics into solid-state lasers and other lasers, then you get the reverse order again. Made-up example, but it should demonstrate the problem.
"Nuclear and particle physics" might be hotter than laser physics, but laser physics could be hotter than both nuclear physics and particle physics. Until you split laser physics into solid-state lasers and other lasers, then you get the reverse order again. Made-up example, but it should demonstrate the problem.
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